The Plaine & Easie Code is a library standard that enables entering music incipits in modern or mensural notation.

This version of the code is being maintained by the International Association of Music Libraries and the Répertoire International des Sources Musicales in order to be adopted as an exchange format in the library environment. Observations or queries may be addressed to Massimo Gentili-Tedeschi or Klaus Keil.

1. Clef

The clef code is preceded by '%', and is three characters long. The first character specifies the clef shape.

G

C

F

g

The second character is '-' to indicate modern notation, '+' to indicate mensural notation. The third character (numeric 1-5) indicates the position of the clef on the staff, starting from the bottom line. If the music is written for a transposing instrument, the incipit has to be coded as it sounds.

E.g.:

G-2

G-clef on the second line: violin clef

g-2

G-clef on the bass octave: 'violin/tenor clef'

C-3

C-clef on the third line: alto clef

C+3

C-clef on the third line: alto clef; mensural notation

F-4

F-clef on the fourth line: bass clef

2. Key signature

Accidentals are preceded by the character '$'; if there are no accidentals the '$' is omitted. The symbol 'x' indicates sharpened keys, 'b' flattened keys; the symbol is followed by the capital letters indicating the altered notes.

E.g.:

$xFC

F and C sharp [key is D major or B minor]

$bBEA

B, E, A flat [key is E flat major or C minor]

3. Time signature

The time signature is preceded by '@'. The time value or the mensuration sign of the incipit. If the incipit has no time value the '@' is omitted. Fractional or numeric values are transcribed as fractions, mensuration signs are transcribed with a lowercase letter, if necessary followed by '/' or '.':

4.8. Other symbols

fermata (includes only one note or rest; accidentals or octave symbols must be outside the parentheses. See also Irregular rhythmic groupings)

4.9. Beaming

{

beginning of beaming

}

end of beaming

E.g.:

{''6E'B8G}{GA}-''C{'3B8..G}

4.10. Irregular rhythmic groupings

(

beginning of irregular group

)

end of irregular group

Before '(' there must be the total value of the group; After '(' there must be the rhythmic value of the first note, even if it is equal to that of the group; Before ')' there must be the number of notes of the group, preceded by ';'.

E.g.:

4('6DEFGA;5)

Quintuplet, 5 semiquavers, in the whole a quarter-note

8({'3DEFGA};5)

Quintuplet, 5 thirty-seconds, in the whole an eighth-note, with grouped notes

The triplet is a special case in irregular groups; it should be coded as follows:

8(6ABC;3) or 8({6ABC};3)

it is instead possible to code it as:

(6ABC) or ({6ABC})

The rhythmic value inside parentheses is mandatory.

4.11. Abbreviated writing

4.11.1 Repetition of notes

!

beginning and end of notes that will be repeated

f

repetition mark of the notes included within !...!

The group will be repeated as many times as the 'f' is found after the second '!'; the repetition is possible only inside the same measure.

E.g.:

!{'8ABAG}!ff

repeat twice

4.11.2 Repetition of measures

i

repeat last measure

The symbol 'i' repeats the last measure; it must always be included within measure bars.

E.g.:

'4ABAG/i/i/

repeat measure twice

4.11.3 Rhythmic model

When the same rhythmic figures are repeated, the group of rhythmic values can be assumed as a model as follows:

E.g.:

instead of {'8.A6B''8C}{8.D6E8F} the code can be '8.68{AB''C}{DEF}

The rhythmic model ends when a new rhythmic value appears.

4.12. Change of clef, key signature, measure

The three elements (%, $, @) can be used within the musical context. They are followed by the new measure, accidentals or clef symbols. They must be followed by a space. The introductory symbols are mandatory.

E.g.:

%C-1$bBEA@c'2A-//$xFC 8B-4-2-/@3/2 1C2-//

4.13. Abbreviations

Abbreviations of notes like tremolo, slash, etc. must be reported to their effective notation:

E.g.:

{''8CCCC}

slash on C

=

4.14. Chords

The upper note is transcribed first; then follow the lower ones, each one separated by '^'.

E.g.

''2D^'A^xF

5. Codified note

UNIMARC field 036 $r ? MARC21 field 789 $h (at the end of the notation, preceded by ~) ? MAB field 681 $m (Rism field 827)

A one-character codified note can be introduced by a '~' at the end of the code.

Accepted characters are:

?

non-rectifiable mistake in incipit

+

rectified mistake in incipit

t

incipit transcribed in modern notation

These symbols may be completed by an explicatory note (UNIMARC 036 $q).